Phonograph



Dec. l5, 1936.

FIG. .L

A. B. wlNcHELL PHONOGRAPH Filed Aprilv26, 1930 16 Sheets-Sheet l Dec. 15, 1936.

A. B. wlNcHELL PHONOGRAPH Filed April ze', 1'930 16 Sheets-Sheet 2 @5T UR ay/NGHELL ATTORNEY Dec.y l5, 1936. A B wlNCHELL 2,064,777

PHONOGRAPH Filed April 2e, 1950 Le sheets-sheen :s

FIG.3

INVENTOR Hm B. W//VCHEYLL ,2 @WOM ATTORNEY Dec. l5, 1936. A. B. wlNcHELl.

PHONOGRAPH Filed April 26, 1930 f 16 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR v 0 @JMA/HELL BY y ATTORNEY 16 Sheets-Sheet 6 PHoNoGRAH A. B. WINCH'ELL 'Filed April 26, 1930 Dec. l5, 1936.

NvENToR H UR BY De. 15, 1936. A. B. wlNcHELl. 2,064,777

' PHoNoGRAPl-I Filed April 26, 1930 16 Sheets-Sheet 9 Dec. l5, 1936. A. B. wlNcHx-:LL

PHONOGRAPH Filed April 25. 1930 16 Sheets-Sheei'l 10 INVENTOR ART 0R a W/ll/OHE/.L BY j d W TTORNEY A. B. wlNcHELL 2,064,777

PHONOGRAPH Filed April 2e, 1930 16 sheets-sheet 11 NvENToR BY ifa/wwf TToRNEY Dec. l5, 1936.' A. B.'w|NcHEL| 2,064,777

\ PHoNoGRAPl-x Filed April 26, -1930 16 Sheets-Sheet l2 H6' FIG. 25

INVENTOR` AHTH RB, W//V HELL BY 0X1 WL TORNEY Dec. 15, 1 936. A. B. wlNcHELL PHoNoGRAPH Filed Apri-1 ze, 1930 16 Sheets-Sheet 13 UR B. Vl/NCHELL TTORNEY A. B. WINCHELL 2,064,777

PHoNoGRAP Filed April 26,11950 16 Sheets-Sheet 14 I Dec. l5, 1936.,

@Noi

/ `lNvENToR fl/ HUH B W//VCHELL Y /W/ lf|` la Q1@ ATTORNEY Dec. l5, 1936. A. B. wlNcHELl.

PHONOGRAPH Filed April 26, 1930 16 Sheets-Sheet l5 Patented Dec. 15, 1936 UNITED STTS FATENT GFFICE 63 Claims.

This case relates to phonographs and is more particularly applicable to reproduction of sound from the common type of grooved record.

An object of the invention is to produce a phonograph that will automatically change from a played record to an unplayed one when it has been set into operation.

Another object is to provide means operable at will to cause the apparatus to automatically reject a record at any time during the playing thereof and before the automatic change comes into play with the insertion on the turntable of the next record without waiting for complete playing of the ejected record.

Another object of the invention is to provide means operable at will to cause the apparatus to automatically repeat the playing of the record on the turntable until it is stopped by the operator.

Another object of the invention is to provide record changing means where the records may be dropped into the hopper without taking care to see that the records are in line with each other or otherwise arranged in a predetermined manner. 25 Another object of the invention is to provide for the raising and lowering of the turntable to bring about the ejection of the record, the swinging of the pick-up arm and the reception of a new record.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for automatic stopping of the motor when the pick-up arm returns to playing position without there being a record on the turntable.

Another object of the invention is to provide starting means for the motor that will temporarily increase the starting torque with shifting of the torque back to its normal value when the mechanism has gotten under way.

Another object of the invention is to still further increase the starting torque on operation of the starting button if the motor happens to start with the record changing apparatus in gear and with a lesser value of torque if the motor happens to start with the record changing apparatus out of gear.

Another object is to use stored up energy of the motor to operate the motor switch and clutch, which operation is brought about by movement of the phonograph needle.

Other objects will appear in the following description, reference being had to the drawings in which:

Fig. l is a plan view of the phonograph motor and the record changing unit.

Fig. 2 is a side View of the apparatus shown in Fig. l viewed in the direction of arrow a.

Fig. 3 is a side View of the apparatus shown in Fig. l viewed in the direction of the arrow b'.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the hopper and hopper slide showing the slide compensating mechanism for large size records.

Fig. 5 is a section of Fig. 4 taken on the lines A-A viewed in the direction of arrow c.

Fig. 6 is a section taken on the lines A--A of Fig. 4 viewed in the direction of arrow d.

Fig. '7 is a plan view of the motor and record changing unit of Fig. 1 with the hopper and slide in assembled position.

Fig. 8 is a side View of the assembled apparatus.

Fig. 9 is a more or less diagrammatic View of the turntable and cam mechanism for shifting the turntable into the various positions.

Fig. 10 is a development of the cam shown in Fig. 9.

Fig. l1 is a diagrammatic sketch of the position of the pick-up arm and operating mechanism at the time that the record starts to play or in the position that the phonograph stops if no record has been placed on the turntable by the hopper slide.

Fig. l2 is a diagrammatic View of the pick-up lever mechanism of Fig. 11 after the record has been played and the discard operation has commenced.

Fig. 13 is a diagrammatic sketch of the mechanism of Fig. l1 with the pick-up arm in full swing-back position and with the throw-back arm starting on its return.

Fig. 14 is a view of the levers of Fig. 11 in full lines showing the return of the pick-up lever fol a 10 inch record, and in dotted lines the return for a 12 inch record.

Fig. 15 is a plan view of the spline plates of the worm gear for driving the turntable.

Fig. 16 is a plan view of the driving arm that moves the hopper slide.

Fig. 17 is an elevation of the driving arm.

Fig. 18 is an elevation of the clutch lever.

Fig. 19 is an elevation of the throw-out lever.

Fig. 2O is an elevation of the starting switch.

Fig. 21 is a plan view of the starting switch.

Fig. 22 is a section of the cam and driving arm.

Fig. 23 is a plan of the driving lever.

Fig. 24 is an elevation of the top lever.

Fig. 25 is a plan of the top lever.

Fig. 26 is an elevation of the transverse lever.

Fig. 27 is an elevation of the pick-up arm.

Fig. 28 is a plan of the pick-up arm.

Fig. 29 is a perspective view of the yoke and a portion of the top lever with the parts drawn apart for better illustration.

Fig. 30 is an end view of the pick-up arm shown in Fig. 28.

Fig. 31 is a plan of a record having a spiral discard groove.

Fig. 32 is a plan of a record having eccentric discard grooves.

Fig. 33 is a diagram of the electrical circuit of the motor.

The detailed construction of the apparatus'will now be described. The phonograph may be operated by any type of motor but I have shown an electric motor I (Fig. 1) of the squirrel cage induction type. This motor is suppoited by means of a bracket 2 on studs 3, 4 and 5 secured in the arm of casting 6. Rubber bushings 1 act as cushioning means to prevent the vibrations of the motor being transmitted to the supporting bracket.

The motor armature shaft 8 is flexibly connected by spring 9 with the worm shaft I6 having worm I I (Fig. 9) which meshes with worm gear I2 on shaft I3. The worm gear I2 itself slidably fits shaft I3 secured to turntable I4 but this gear has drive disks I5 (Fig. 15) secured to it on each side by means of screws I6 which disks have splines I1 tting into keyway I8 in the shaft. This permits the shaft to be raised and lowered into various positions while being positively rotated by means of the gear I2.

The worm Il on the drive shaft I5 also meshes with worm wheel I9 rotatably journalled on shaft 20. This gear I9 has a clutch member 2| having teeth adapted to engage with similar teeth on clutch member 22 slidably and non-rotatably secured to shaft 28 by a pin and slot arrangement 20 shown clearly in Fig. 1.

The shaft I3 has a pin I3 slidably arranged therein and spring i3I urges the pin upward in Fig. 9. This permits the pin to yield if the record should improperly engage it in the changing of records.

The shaft 20 has a worm 23 meshing with worm gear 24, shown in dotted lines in Fig. 9 secured to vertical key shaft 25 keyed or otherwise secured to index disk 26. From the foregoing it Will be seen that the electric motor I rotates the turntable shaft I3 whenever the armature rotates and that it rotates the index disk 26 only i when the clutch 2|, 22 is in position.

depending portion 29 fastened to a lug 32 of throw-out lever 38 by means of a spring 33. The clutch lever 21 is thus pulled to the inoperative position by throw-out lever 39 through this spring 33, but the clutch lever is thrown into the operative position by projection 34 (Fig. 19) on the lever 30 when that lever turns about its pivot. For ease of initial adjustment at the factory the member 34 maybe formed by cutting slot 35 so that the actuating member can be bent towards or from the lever when the apparatus is assembled at the factory to secure the correct position of the lever. When the clutch lever is in the off position projection 29' on lever 21 engages switch arm 3D and opens switch arm 3|' (Fig. 9).

Throw-out lever 30 has a projection 36 adapted, in the playing position of the record, to rest in notch 31, in projection 38 extending at right angles to trip lever 39 pivoted in the main casting at 39. So long as projection 36 rests in notch 31 the spring 33 tends to maintain the clutch lever 21 in position to hold the clutch 2| and 22 in the oif position.

The pick-up arm 4I) (Fig. 27) (called tone arm in connection with mechanical phonographs) contains any suitable form of electrical pick-up 4| having needle 42 for tting into the sound grooves 0f the record, and is pivoted at 45 to projection 45 of post member 46 Which itself is pivoted at 41 and 48 in bracket 43 secured to platform or panel board 44 to which also the main casting already referred to is secured. The pickup arm post 46 has a foot 49 secured to pick-up lever arm 5D (Figs. 1 and 27). The connection between the arm 48 and lever 55 is rigid so that they must move together as the post 46 swings about the pivot bearings 41 and 48.

The index lever 5I is pivoted at 52 to the pickup lever 58. The pivot point 52 is adjustable in lever 5I by means of adjusting stud 53 secured to the down turned end 54 of the index lever 5| and threaded into pivot 52. This adjustment need only be made at the factory when the machine is assembled, and the lock nut will hold the adjustment.

Index lever 5| (Fig. 1) is slotted at 55 in such a way that the slot terminates at notch 56 at the left side and at notch 51 at the right-hand side. On index disk 25 is fastened an arm 58 having stud 59 tting into slot 55. As disk 26 rotates stud 59 will slide the lever` 5| and rotate pick-up arm 55 about pivot point 56 only when it engages the end 60, or the notches 56 and 51 of the slot 55. At other times the rotation of the disk 25 will merely oscillate the arm 5| about the pivot point 52. In the unclutched position projection 53 on the clutch lever locks the disk 26 by tting into notch 59 therein.

In order to provide for the proper positioning of the needle for playing either 10 inch or 12 inch records the stud 59 is arranged in slot 55 so that it will normally contact with notch 51 in the last quarter of its revolution and pull the pick-up arm back to position for correctly starting a 10 inch record. This is shown in full lines in Fig. 14.

To provide for correct positioning of the needle when a 12 inch record is placed on the turntable a flexible cable 5I has one end secured to lever 5| (Figs. l, 2 and 14). This cable passes around pulley 62 fastened in suitable supports to the platform i4 and has its other end secured to a Weight 62 secured to a vertically movable trip rod 53 positioned in the pick-up arm bracket 43. This rod 63 passes through a hole in trip lever 64 pivoted in the bracket at 65 and has a notch 63 engaging the catch 64 on trip lever 64 and when the rod S3 is in this position there is sufficient slack in cable 6I to permit the stud 59 to contact with the right-hand side of slot 55 and enter notch 51 as the disk 26 approaches the last part of its revolution (see full line position of Fig. 14). Counterweight 64a normally maintains the catch 64 against rod 53. A l() inch record will not engage the trip 64 but a 12 inch record will as it is dropped into the turntable. This trips the lever 64 and pulls catch 64 out of notch |53. Weight 62 drops and pulls rod 63 downwardly which puts tension on cable 6 I. This pulls lever 5I to the right in Fig. 14 and keeps the left-hand side of slot 55 against stud 59, thus forcing it to enter notch 56. -Notch 56 is further away from pivot 52 than is notch 51 and consequently the arm 55 and pickup arm 40 are pulled inward toward the record a less amount. This compensation is just enough to locate the needle at the beginning of the 12 inch sound grooves.

Lever 58 is bent downwardly (see Figs. 2 and 27) at 61 and thence horizontally at 68 and is further bent downwardly at 69. The end 10 of throw-out lever 3G (Fig. 19) will ride up horizontal portion 68 near the depending portion 69 when the lever 58 has been swung back to the extreme position shown in Fig. 13. At other positions of the pick-up lever 59 the horizontal portion 98 above referred to will lie inside the end 19 of throw-out lever 39.

On the depending end 69 of pick-up lever 59 is adjustably pivoted trip dog 1| (Figs. 1, 2 and 19). This dog is arranged to operate the trip lever in a way later to be described, whenever the needle enters the reject groove at the end of the record (Figs. 31 and 32). When the type of record shown in Fig. 31 is on the turntable the trip lever is tripped by the projection 12 secured to the horizontal portion 68 of the lever 59. This is brought about by the member 12 engaging with the bent over lug 13 (Fig. 19) on the trip lever 39. The manner in which these tripping actions takes place will be described in detail later.

In addition to pro-viding for the tripping of the lever 39 by the grooves at the end of the record, provision is also made for tripping this lever manually whenever the user desires to discard the record. Such means is shown in Figs. 1 and 20 and consists of a lever arm 15 pivoted at 15. One end of the lever arm 15 extends beneath the trip lever 39 and the other end is adapted to be engaged by starting plunger 16 passing through the platform or panel board 44. Strips 11 constituting this switch are operated by insulation cone 99 on tube 18 secured to plunger 19. Pushing down on button 19 raises trip lever 39 and releases the catch engagement 3B, 31, permitting the lever 39 to drop and bring about the closing of the clutch and permits switch 3|' to close the motor circuit through the resistance |14 and through the motor coils in series. By pushing further down on button 19 the motor coils will be placed in parallel by opening of switch 19 and closing switches 89 and 8|'. That is, a light pressure will only trip the lever 39, but heavier pressure will trip the lever, open switch 19 and close switches 89' and 8|. By pushing lightly on button 19 the motor will start with the motor coils in series. By using heavier pressure on the button the motor will start with the coils in parallel. The purpose of this will be referred to later. When pressure on button 19 is released spring 8| brings the plunger and connected parts back to normal position shown in Fig. 21, thus closing switch 19 and opening switches 99 and 9|. This puts the motor in normal running condition with the coils in series.

At the lower end of shaft 25 (Figs. 2 and 9) is secured a cam 82 shown in development in Fig. 10. This cam brings about the raising and lowering of the turntable when records are being changed or repeated. For this purpose lift lever 99 is pivoted at one end in repeat plunger 84 secured in extension 85 of the casting. The other end of this lever 83 is pivoted in thrust bearing 86 in which rests turntable shaft i9. Lift lever 33 has roller 81 pivoted between its ends and resting upon the cam surfaces 88, 89, 99 o-r 9| (Figs. 9 and 10). The lever and other parts are omitted in Fig. 9 in order to show additional parts of the apparatus. The roller 81, however, is shown in Fig. 9. When roller 81 engages cam surface 88 the turntable is supported at position I, which is the playing position. When the cam rotates counter-clockwise, as viewed from the bottom of Fig. 9, roller 81 descends to surface 99 and brings the turntable to position II. In this position the turntable has been lowered below the needle of the pick-up arm so that the latter can be swung to the swing back position.

As the cam continues to rotate roller 81 descends to the lowest cam surface 99. This brings the turntable to position III in which position the record on the turntable has been brought into engagement with the rubber 92 of the discard post 93 and the record is discarded in the way to be described later. As the cam continues to rotate roller 91 is raised to the highest surface 9| and the turntable is raised to position IV which is the position for receiving a record from the hopper slide referred to later. As the cam further rotates roller 91 descends to surface 94 which is at the same elevation as surface 89. In this position the pick-up and needle is swung back into position over, but out of contact with, the new record that is now resting on the turntable. AS the cam completes one revolution roller 81 is raised to surface 98 and the tiuntable is brought back to position I. As it is brought back to this position the record engages the needle in the pickup arm and the playing of the record commences. This movement also closes switch |69 and opens switch ISI on the pick-up arm (Fig. 2'1). Soon thereafter projection 58 snaps into notch 59', the clutch is disengaged and the clutch switch is opened by projection 29 engaging spring arm 39 (Fig. 9).

The cam 92 thus makes one complete revolution during each change of the record or during the repeating operation. When the cam has made one complete revolution clutch members 2| and 22 are disengaged and further rotation stops, which will be more clearly understood when the operation of the apparatus is described in detail.

Referring to Figs. 2, 3 and 22, cam 8i has a repeat dog 94 fastened to it by screw 95 with spring 98 arranged to urge the dog to the left in Fig. 22. At the lower end of the dog 99 is a projection 91 bent at substantially right angles to the main body of the dog which extends through the slot 99 in the cam and into position to engage the surface |99 of drive arm |9| illustrated in Figs. 17 and 22. This arni is secured to shaft 25 so that such shaft freely rotates in its central hole |92 unless projection 91 on the dog 94 engages surface |99. When this engagement takes place the arm |9| is forced to rotate with the cam.

Driving arm |9| has a stud 92' passing through a roller |93 in arcuate slot |93 in driving arm |94 shown in plan in Fig. 23. This driving arm has its end pivoted by stud |99 to projection |91 of the casting. The slot |93 is generated from a circle having its center inthe center of the shaft 25 when the slide is at rest and the record is in playing position. When the arm |9| first starts to rotate it engages one side of the slot and moves the arm |94 out during somewhat less than a quarter of a revolution of the shaft. The next quarter, or somewhat less than a quarter, of a revolution, of arm |9| moves the arm |94 in the reverse direction and during substantially the last half of the revolution the shaft 25 is located at the center of the arc and the roller moves along the arc without moving arm |94. These series of operations permit the slide to move the record over the turn table and to return to idle position before the turntable completes the last half of its cycle.

Repeat button stud |99 (Fig. 2) is arranged in slot |93 in the panel board or platform 44. This repeat button stud is secured to shift lever |99 pivoted in the main casting at ||9. This lever is bent in irregular shape as indicated in Fig. 2. The lower end of the shift level` is pivoted at in plunger 8 4. When the listener intends to have the phonograph play the records in order, the repeat button is left in the position in Fig. l which holds the lift lever 83 and roller 81 in the position shown in Fig. -22. n this position the roller 81 is kept out of contact with dog 94' and the projection 91 engages the wall |00 of the driving arm IOI (Fig. 17). When the record has been completed, therefore, the rotation of the cam 82 Will carry along with it the driving arm |0I which operates the driving lever |04 and brings about the movement of the hopper slide for clepositing the record on the turntable, as will be referred to in describing the operation of the phonograph.

When the listener desires to have a record repeated, repeat button |08 will be pushed so as to move the repeat plunger 84 to the left in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. In doing this snap ball ||2 urged upward by spring II3 will be fo-rced out of groove I I4 in the plunger 84 and as this plunger is moved to the left the ball will snap into groove ||5. These grooves I I4 and I I5 hold the plunger in the adjusted position.

The movement of the repeat plunger 84 pulls arm 83 (Fig. 22) to the left, forces the roller 81 into engagement with dog 94' and moves it against the tension of spring 96 to the left until projection 91 on the dog clears wall |00 of the driving arm IUI. As the cam 82 rotates, the driving arm IDI will remain stationary because it is no longer connected thereto by the dog 94. Therefore, the driving arm |04 and the hopper slide will not be operated to place a record on the turntable. As the cam 82 rotates in the way previously described roller 81 can descend no lower than the swing-back position II of Fig. 9 because the driving arm ||l| is now stationary and the roller rests on the arcuate surface II6 of the driving arm (Fig. 16). This prevents the lift lever 83 from lowering the record into contact with the rubber 92 of the discard post 93. All operations will therefore be repeatedexcept that the record will not be discarded and a new record will not be placed on the turntable. The cam 82, the pickup arm and the pickup arm lever will go through the movement previously described and when the playing again starts it will be from the same record instead of from a new one.

Driving arm |04 (Figs. '7 and 8) is secured by stud |05 to one end of link |06', the other end of which is connected to arm |01 pinned to vertical shaft I 08. This shaft passes through bearing member |09 in cross bar I I0', fastened to the cabinet (shown in fragments only) and the other end is journalled at II I in arm I I2 forming an integral part of the hopper casting II3. A collar II4 is clamped on the shaft |08 by a set screw so as to rest on the bearing |09' and thus hold the shaft from downward movement. This bearing has a bushing |09" of spherical shape to constitute a universal bearing. This prevents' binding in the bearing if the shaft is somewhat out of line. The shaft is prevented from moving upward in Fig. 8 by means of yoke ||9 on the Lipper end of the shaft which engages the top lever I|3 which in turn bears against the side of the bearing III' in the arm II2 of the hopper casting IIS. This arm has two bosses |I5 and II5" located between two adjusting studs (Fig. 29) IIB threaded through two projections I I1 integrally joined to the top lever I I8 which is loosely positioned on the shaft |08. The adjusting screws IIB are limiting devices to locate the extreme movements of the slide |23 in the forward and backward position by contacting with boss II5 or II5. If it were not for these screws there might be enough play in the driving arm and link mechanism to cause the slide to overrun slightly particularly in locating the record over the turntable.

The yoke I I9 is keyed to shaft |08 and has set screws ||1a in its forks ||8a which engage the lug I I9a on the bottom of the top lever I I8. This permits adjustment between the shaft and the top lever.

Lever I I8 has a slot I I9 in its outer end adapted to receive pin |20 threaded into the intermediate portion of transverse lever (Figs. 4 and '1) |2| pivoted at |22 to hopper slide |23 Which'is adapted to receive an assortment of phonograph records. The other end of lever |2| is pivoted to one end of regulating or compensating link |24. The other end of link |24 has a slot |25 leading at its outer end into a depression I 26. Stud |21 passes through the slot or the depression, as the case may be, and is threaded into the slide |23. The link |24 positions arm |2I in respect to slide |23 in two different places. When the stud is at the right-hand end of slot |25, as shown in Fig. 4, arm |2| takes the position designated by X in that figure. l rests on the opposite end of the slot |25 the lever I2| will take the position designated Y in Fig. 4. A roller |28 on the arm I2| permits this movement in respect to the slide |23 with a minimum amount of friction.

The slide |23 moves in hopper casting ||3 and rests on four rollers |29 journalled in the hopper casting (Figs. 4 and 8).

The slide |23 has fastened to it two back plates |30 substantially the thickness of a single record and are adapted to engage the rear circumference of the bottom record to push it to the right under movement of the slide.

To insure that the bottom record is properly centered against the rear centering wedges |30 a back center lever I3| and a. front center lever |32 are pivoted in the hopper casting I I3 at pvots |33 and |34 respectively. Lever |3I is urged clockwise (Fig. 5) by spring |35 coiled around pivot |33, one end of the spring resting against the forward end of the lever and the other one being secured in the flange |33 of a bushing tting inside the coil and resting against flange |31 of the pivot stud. By turning flange |36 tension may be placed on this spring which tension may be held by screwing down nut |38 to hold the bushing tightly against the hexagonal flange |31. A lock Washer |39 may be used to hold the adjustment. v

The left-hand end of lever |3| is forced by the spring against stub pin |40 but the lever can be rotated counter-clockwise by the records in a way to be explained later.

Centering lever |32 is pivoted to the hopper casting II3' by means of a similar bolt, stud and spring arrangement generally indicated by |4I. However, in this case the spring is wound in a left-hand direction so as to urge the levei` |32 in counter-clockwise direction and against stop pin |42. The lever can be rotated clockwise against the tension of the spring by records on the slide when the slide is moved toward the turntable.

The location of stop pins |42 and |40 is such that the ends |43 and |44 of the centering levers will just clear the bottom record of small size, for example, a l0 inch record when it is properly centered on the slide against the back plates or centering wedges |30. As the slide moves to the right in Fig. 4 the centering levers 3| and |32 will push the small size bottom record into center position if it happens to be located at one side or the other. When a large size, for example, a 12 

